This activity models grazing incidence reflection by using students as the “sea of electrons” provided generally by metallic bonding on the surface of a metal. A tossed ball is used to represent a photon of light and the ball tosser represents...(View More) the object giving off the photon. This activity is designed to illustrate that different photons may be absorbed or reflected, depending upon their energy to illustrate how the telescope utilizes grazing optics to focus X-rays.The activity requires balls of various sizes (ping pong ball, golf ball, tennis ball, basketball or bowling ball). The activity guide includes discussion questions and instructions for using the video "Building the Coolest X-ray Satellite: Astro-E2" in the classroom.(View Less)

This resource introduces the concept of wind chill, the formula used to measure it and relates it to the causes of hypothermia. A simple experiment using a pie pan, sand, fan and a thermometer demonstrates this concept. The resource is from PUMAS -...(View More) Practical Uses of Math and Science - a collection of brief examples created by scientists and engineers showing how math and science topics taught in K-12 classes have real world applications.(View Less)